On Monday, November 18th Haywood County Extension will host a farm-focused gathering to understand resources - both financial and technical - available post-Helene. Register Here for WNC Farmers Gathering: Tools for Rebuilding.  You will have the opportunity to hear directly from Ag partner agencies and supporting organizations about their resources, ask questions in real time related [...]

This session will cover retail firms, low and high-risk value-added foods, commercial facilities, shared-use facilities, and home processing. Topics include regulations and requirements for low-risk foods, specialized and advanced high-risk food manufacturing, supplements, and the latest on CBD. Susan Parrish, NCDA has been working in the regulatory space for 20 years, helping food businesses stay [...]

Transitions are vulnerable times for farms and failing to plan for farm transitions can leave farms at risk of forced sales due to family conflict or nursing home recovery costs. Join us for a legacy planning workshop to learn more about common challenges that farmers and landowners face when transitioning the farm to the next [...]

Are you thinking about starting a farm and feeling overwhelmed by all the decisions? This one-half day workshop can help. It is designed to assist new and aspiring farmers in taking the first steps in thinking through farm start-up (whether you already have land access or not). Thoughtfully defining your goals and strategy before you [...]

This presentation will provide an overview of food safety regulations and GAP certifications that are often needed when growing, harvesting, packing, and holding fresh fruits and vegetables. Area specialized agent for food safety, Elena Rogers, will discuss practices that all farms should consider following in order to minimize the risk of microbial contamination during the [...]

Speaker: Jennifer Badger, NC Cooperative Extension, Empowering Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) Join us for this essential course designed to help farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs establish a strong foundation for their ventures. Whether you are starting a new farm or looking to optimize your existing operations, this class will guide you through the process of forming a Limited [...]